My regular workout routine: I run three times per week, about three miles each time. I try to do a longer run on the weekend, up to about six miles. Then I try to cross-train two other days, doing anything from walking to riding a stationary bike. I have started doing a strength, core, and stretching routine each night as well.

What got me going: Being big was always a part of who I was. Growing up, my name was always “Big Andy.” I was okay with it. But once we brought my daughter, Tessa, into the picture, it really wasn’t acceptable for me to be that overweight anymore. One day, on the way into the office, I got winded going up a flight of stairs. That was the tipping point. I had done every diet—from Weight Watchers to the crazy chicken-soup diet—and it would always work for a little bit, then fizzle out. I’d lose interest and end up back where I started. I tried to start a Couch-to-5-K plan a half dozen times, but I was in such poor physical condition that I could never keep up with the first workout of the first week. I would repeat it over and over and just get frustrated and quit.

How I started: I couldn’t focus on just the eating or just the working out. I needed to focus on the food and exercise at the same time. I knew I needed something different, even more introductory than Couch-to-5-K. I found a plan that let me build up to one mile in four weeks with workouts three times per week. It eased me into running a mile, got me used to being active, and showed me that I can do it. I finally experienced some success, which gave me the confidence to try the Couch-to-5-K workout. At first I ran on the treadmill at the gym, because it was easier for me to control the speed. But it was really intimidating to walk into a gym. On that very first workout, I fell on the treadmill. My foot was half on and half off the belt, I lost my balance and just went down. Someone else at the gym came over to help me out. He picked me up, asked me if I was okay, and said, “You know, you’ve got to get back on.” And I got back on and finished it out. At that point I was able to say, “I’m bigger than 99 percent of the people in here, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just going to do the work.”

My biggest hurdle to working out: Lack of information. I was so far out of shape that I just didn’t know where to start. It was really overwhelming.

The most rewarding part of having a running life: I’m doing things that I used to think were impossible. I finished the 10-mile Broad Street Run and two half-marathons. When I first started out, I would have laughed if anyone had told me I was going to run for 10 miles straight. It’s empowering to be able to do something you never thought was possible. And that shifted everything outside of running. Now, I don’t view anything as undoable. Nothing is off the table. That doesn’t make it free or easy. But now I have the confidence to know that if I’m willing to put in the work, there’s nothing that can’t be done. That carries over into work and relationships and everything else in real life. Running really showed me that.

Weight loss goal: I started at 328.8, and my target was 225, which was what I weighed in high school. I hit my goal weight within six months, then I lost another 20 pounds. I am holding stable at 195, and I have been able to maintain it for almost six months.

Secret to my weight-loss success: Getting active and cutting calories at the same time. I wanted multiple ways to measure and motivate myself so that if I had a crappy week on the scale I still could draw confidence from some great runs and progress with cardio work. I started counting calories using the MyFitnessPal app. That helped me determine how many calories I should be eating, without slapping me in the face with it. It doesn’t say, “You have to have broccoli,” but when you eat two slices of pizza and see that an entire bag of broccoli has less calories than a half slice of pizza, you learn. I adjusted what I ate so I could stretch the calories and feel full all day, rather than being so ravenous by mealtime that it was a feeding frenzy. I started eating tons of fruits and vegetables, air-popped popcorn, lean meats and turkey.

Advice for other beginners: It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Understand that it’s going to take some time and break it down to manageable pieces. Don’t focus on 3.1 miles; it feels impossible. Just focus on running for 60 seconds. But just trust the plan and trust yourself. And it will really surprise you what you can do. Running continually provides me with a way to surprise myself. More times than not, I would finish a workout absolutely shocked at what I had done. Even while I was doing the workout I was thinking, There is no way I can do this; it just seems impossible.

Favorite piece of gear: I’m really in love with my new running shoes, which are Hoka One One. They’re the giant moon-boot-like running shoes and I could not love them more. I also have one of those water bottles with a handstrap that I won’t run without.

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